The German used several variations of canteen during WWII. Some were fitted with web straps rather than leather and these have been christened "Tropical" or "Sudfront" by many collectors and enthusiasts. In reality, there appears to have been no rhyme or reason to their issue- many troops in Africa can be seen with leather strapped models while other soldiers in Europe and Russia have these.

Complete reproduction German WWII M31 Canteens, made with all brand new parts. This is the standard 750 ml water bottle used throughout the War. We assemble these in-house, with components from several different sources. Most importantly, these do NOT have the awful, un-reinforced rubbery straps used on nearly all other reproductions that stretch and break within the first few hours of use. The metal parts are all excellent quality, the covers are the correct color and we use our own straps, with custom woven reproduction German webbing and hardware. These all have the rawhide reinforcement at the hook attachment. The bottles, caps and cups are aluminum- and NEW.Straps: New production, made by ATF.

Covers: New production. We had the wool felt specially made- it was color matched to a mint original. They are not the "battleship gray" abominations populating ebay. These are the correct color, fabric, thickness, etc..

"Defects":Nearly all the cups have a dimple or ding and a chip or two in the paint. If you pride yourselves on accepting nothing but utter perfection in all things, we suggest you find a new hobby. The first time you assemble your kit and walk out the door, the cup will get whacked by the gas mask can, bayonet hilt, and the butt of your rifle- possibly all simultaneously. If you expect a flawless cup- we can't help you.

Canteen Field Notes: The damned cup was one of the first things I ever ditched- even at 14 years of age, I realized it was a no-go. It clanks and rattles against the gas mask can and mess tin. If you don't secure the handles they rattle like hell. I carry it in my breadbag and poked a hole in the strap so it would tighten down without the cup. Works like a charm...